The American Shorthair is the pedigree descendant of the working cats that arrived in North America with European settlers, best known as a silver tabby.
It and its wire-coated relative, the American Wirehair, are recognised in the United States but not by the main British registry.
The American Shorthair is the pedigree form of the working cat of North America: a sturdy, medium to large short-haired breed. It is hardly known in Britain, where the British Shorthair fills a similar place.
Cats travelled to North America with European settlers, who kept them on ships and farms to control rats and mice. Their descendants were registered as a breed from the early twentieth century under the name Domestic Shorthair, and the name was changed to American Shorthair in 1966 to distinguish pedigree cats from ordinary household pets.
The body is powerful and well balanced, with a broad chest, strong legs, a large head with full cheeks, and wide-set eyes. The coat is short, thick and hard in texture. Many colours and patterns are accepted; the best known is the silver classic tabby, with bold black swirls on a pale silver ground. Compared with the British Shorthair, the American is a little longer in body and less rounded in the face.
American Shorthairs are even-tempered and adaptable, sociable without being demanding, and good with children and other animals. They keep a strong hunting instinct.
A weekly brush is enough. The breed is generally robust and long-lived, though it puts on weight easily, and the heart muscle disease hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs.
The American Wirehair is a close relative that arose from a single kitten born on a farm in New York State in 1966. Its coat is springy and crimped, down to the whiskers, as the result of a dominant mutation. Wirehairs are bred with American Shorthairs and share their build and character. The breed is rare even in the United States.
Both breeds are recognised by the American registries. Neither is recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in Britain.